Ladder



'5 L. WlLSON Nov. 13, 1945.

LADDER Filed May 8, 1944 Z L. I v 125 71,

Patented Nov. 13, 1945 *UNlT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE LADDER Earl L. Wilson, Auburn, N. Y., assignor to Columbian Rope Company, Auburn, N. Y., a corporation of New' York Application May 8, 1944, Serial No. 534,611

2 Claims. (Cl. 228-67) This invention relates to improvements in ladders and particularly to step ladders.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a safety rail or guard rail whereby a person standing on the top support or step of the ladder will have the benefit of a guard rail to protect him from accidentally falling. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a step ladder with a guard rail positioned above the top step of the ladder and adjustable vertically with respect to that step whereby the guard rail may be collapsed in the sense that it may lie flat against the top step of the ladder when not in use or may be raised above the top step to any desired height to provide support for an individual desiring to stand on the top step.

Another object of the invention is to provide an integral one-piece guard rail vertically adjustable in the standards of the ladder between which the steps of the ladder are mounted.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a step ladder having an extensible guard rail positioned above the top step of the ladder, the guard rail, in this instance, being of a two-piece construction wherein the rail proper is pivotally mounted to swing forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the top step whereby it may either be turned to a position projecting rearwardly beyond the top stepor it may be turned forwardly to a position where it will lie flat against the top step when the extensions on which it is pivoted are telescoped or collapsed within the standards of the step ladder.

With there and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a step ladder embodying the present improvements illustrating the guard rail extended above the top step of the ladder;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken transversly of the ladder in a plane intersecting one of the standards in which the guard rail is supported to illustrate one form of means for supporting the guard rail in elevated position;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating the top step of the step ladder and a modified form of guard rail;

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the upper portion of a step ladder showing a modified arrangement for supporting the guard rail; and

Fig-5 is a perspective of the-top step of a step ladder illustrating a still further modification of the guard rail.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the step ladder comprises collapsible front and rear members. The rear member preferably consists of a U-shaped one-piece member, the crossbar ll of said memher being adapted to rest on the floor or other surface and the upper ends of the side portions lllof the said U-shaped member being pivotally secured to the top step 12 of the ladder. As this pivotal connection of the rear member may take any desired form and constitutes no part of the present invention it is neither shown nordescribed herein in detail. The front member consists of side standards on which the steps of the ladderare mounted These standards are preferablyformed of one-piece U-shaped members whose side portions constitute the standards [3 l3 and whose cross-members carry anti-slip elements 14 adapted to rest on the floor or other surface. The upper ends of these U-shaped side standards are rigidly attached to the top step 12. The front and rear members of the ladder are connected to each other by collapsible braces i5 each formed of two pivotally connected sections each pivotally attached to said members. A rack l6 may also be provided near the top of the ladder and, in accordance with the usual practice, this rack'is 'also pivotally secured to the front and probably the most desirable form of material for use in fabricating these members. In order to provide additional means of support whereby a person standing on the top step of the ladder may better maintain his balance, the present ladder is provided with a guard rail which is slidably associated with the tubular standards at opposite sides of the step ladder. In the preferred form of the invention the guard rail proper, indicated at H, is of U-shape formation and is provided at its ends. with integral depending extensions l8 which are telescopically associated with the front standards I3 of the front member. In addition, the guard rail is also provided with rear vertical extensions 19 which are likewise telescopically associated with the rear standards I3' of the front member. Preferably the extensions [8, IQ, of the guard rail telescope within the standards 13 I3 and said guard rail may either be raised any desirable distance above the top step 12 of the ladder, depending upon the length of extensions l8, 19, or it may be collapsed or depressed to lie substantially flat against the upper surface of said top step as would be the casewhen the ladder is not in use. If desired the frictional engagement between the extensions 18, I9, and the standards [3, l3 may be such as to retain the guard rail in any of its elevatedmpositions. --On, the otherahand more positive locking means may be' provid'ed fort-this purpose as shown'in Fig. 2 wherein a locking pin 20 slidable in a tubular housing 2| secured to the undersurface of top step l2 is adapted to engage one of a series of apertures 22 in one of the extensions l8, l9. Locking pin 20 is .yieldingly urged into engagement withrth gdard rail guard rail proper is swung rearwardly on the pivot pins 26 so as to project rearwardly of the top step 12, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the rail will not interfere with an individual standing on the top step but will, at the same time, be properly positioned to aid a person in maintaining his balance while standing on the top step. When .the rail-is to be depressed-..and the ladder collapsed for storing awayethe guardrail may then be swung forwardly on its pivot pins 26 so that it will then overlie or be positioned flat against the top step l2 of the ladder. It should added that in a construction such as this;

ing through a slot 25 in housing 2| in order to facilitate retraction of the locking pin when ll with the' integral depending ext'ension's 1 8 at i the forward' en'ds o'f the-sides iof=the =guard rail. In this instance; the extensions l8 preferably telescope within the forward"mifloular standards It er: the ladder as -illustrat'ed in Figs.- 1 and 2 and may occupy any-desired elevated-position above the --top step -12 or may be-"depressed flat against that step. Ihthemiodification' illustrated in 4 'th depending extensions [8 of the -guard"rail-*are telescopically 4 received in supplemental" tubular standards 33 which maybe attached' in-any'suit able'inanner 'to the ends of the stepsof-the'ladder at a point intermediate the tubular "front-"and rear standards l3 and I3".

' Still-another modified form of guard rail is illustrated in Fig 5. In "this"instance," the U- shaped guard rail H is pivotallyseeuredtdth'e upper ends "of depending extensions t8 'by'pivot pins-2E and"said'extensioris'18- a're telescopically received in the tubular sideportion's HI er the rear supporting'member of the ladder. When'the ladderis in use and the guardr'alirelevated, the

that is where the extensions l8 of the guard rail arelslidableintheiubular uprights ID of the rear\ l supporting-Jmember of the ladder, the top step I2 is formed with slots shown in dotted lines at 21 to permit of the rocking motion which is imparted .toethe extensions I8 when the rear supporting member of the ladder is swung toward and from the frontsupporting member for-opening and collapsing the ladder.

'What I claim is:

1'. .In a step ladder-having front and rear members; said-- rear: member comprising hollow aluminum standards; vertically spaced steps mount ed on the front membenguardrail-supports*slidabl-y'r'eeeived in the upper extremitiesof the hollowstandard's -of the rear member and projecting above I said standards, a guard" rail 'pivotally attached to said supports above the top step of the ladder, said rail being movable on itspivotal centers from a position rearwardly of its supports to a position forwardly ofsaidsupports to rest on the-top step, and-means for holdingsaidsupports against vertical movement in "saidrear standards.

-2. In a step -1adder 'having front and rear members; saidrear member-comprising hollow" aluminumstandards, vertically spaced steps mounted'on the-'front member; guard rail supports-teller scopieally associated 'withthe hollow standards of the rear member and projecting above" the upper step ofthe *ladden-and a ti-shaped guard rail having itsends pivotally attached to the supports above 'said upperstep and swingable on saidsupports forwardly and; rearwardly of the ladder;- the cross bar of said rail overlying said upperstepwhen swung forwardly.

.ilJEARL L...WILSON. 

